This week, we participated in a couple of tastings of memorable wines. Here are my reports.

The SOB Grand Cru Red Burgundy Tasting

On Tuesday, the 14th, Lynn and I hosted the Sons of Bacchus tasting of Grand Cru Burgundies at our home. All of the wines were outstanding, some more so than others. There were nine of us and three flights of three wines. The top preference in each flight plus the next lower were put into a final four taste off. Here are the top four wines in order of the group's overall preference, with my notes and scores.

2001 Domaine Arlaud Charmes-Chambertin - This showed a medium brick red color and aromas of wild berries - fraises, raspberries, cassis - with scents of orange peel and dried roses. The flavors were chewy textured, with admixtures of, coffee ground, earth and stone followed by a mature, slightly nutted and dried finish. 19+/20 points.

2004 Domaine De Montille Corton Les Pougets - Brilliant ruby-garnet colored, this offered lovely, perfumed aromas of wild berries, orange peel, crushed roses, orange peel and white incense. The flavors were rich and velvety and spread out on the palate, and increased in density on the back into a long finish. For me, this was the top wine of the evening. 19.5/20 points.

2009 Mongeard-Mugneret Echezeaux - This displayed a brick red color and a lovely nose of fraises de bois, cassis, crushed roses, spiced tobacco and orange peel. The flavors were thich, chewy and velvet, with intermixtures of licorice, cocoa, and minerals, followed by a long, savory finish. Just beginning to mature, this will have a great future. 19+/20 points.

2000 Heritiers Louis Jadot Corton Pougets - Medium brick red colored, this showed a feminine nose of strawberries, red currants, orange peel and crushed roses. The flavors were very fine and direct, showing considerable Pinot Noir purity. The finish was long and elegant. 19+/20 points.

There one other wine that I found to be particularly exceptional amongst this grouping. I would have put it in the top three.

2005 Domaine Pierre Amiot & Fils Clos de la Roche - Clos de la Roche is one of the five Grand Crus of Morey- St. Denis. It possessed a brilliant brick red cilor and an enticing nose of fraises de bois, cerise, anise crushed roses, tobacco and dried orange peel. The flavors were precise and elegant with wonderful Pinot Noir purity, along with touches of licorice, coffee and mocha, followed by a long, elegant finish. 19.5/20 points.

This is my order of preference:

2004 Domaine De Montille Corton Les Pougets

2005 Domaine Amiot Clos de la Roche

2009 Mongeard Mugneret Echezeaux

2001 Domaine Arlaud Charmes Chambertin

2000 Heritiers Louis Jadot Corton Pougets

It is my belief that most Grand and Premier Cru Red Burgundies are at their best when they are seven to ten years old, when they acquire what the Burgundans call "velours." The bouquet and flavors become well developed, while the charming fruit of Pinot Noir still remains . Beyond ten years, most wines start to dry up. In my opinion, the 2001 Charmes Chambertin and 2000 Corton Pougets would have been much better three years ago. There were some older Burgundies in the tasting that were past their peak and a couple over the hill. Grand Cru Burgundies, generally, are not as long lived as Grand Cru Bordeaux.

The Whitehouse Crawford Spanish Wine Tasting

On Wednesday, April 15th, Jenna Bicknell hosted another tasting at the Whitehouse Crawford Restaurant, this time, Spanish Riojas and Priorat. Here are the most outstanding wines.

2005 Senorio de Pecina Rioja Reserva ($39) - This comes from one of the traditional producers of Rioja. Composed of 100% Tempranillo, it shoed a garnet color and a maturing nose of semi-dred fruits, dried rose petals, tobacco and incense. The semi-dried theme continued on the palate with roasted fruit that were underlain with anise, coffee, earth and minerals, followed fine fruit acidity which lifted the dryish finish. 19/20 points.

The most interesting wines of the tasting were the wines from Priorat, an appellation situated in Southern Catalonia, with high elevation old vineyards in volcanic soils. I remember that twenty years ago, Priorats were rustic, tannic and hard to drink. Now, with more modern winemaking there are fine, elegant wines being produced.

2008 Ferrer Bobet Priorat, Vinyes Velles ($59) - This is 70% Carignan (Cariñena) and 30% Grenache (Garnacha) from 100 year old vines. It showed a deep crimson color and a lovely nose of ripe fruits - blackberry, cherry, blueberry - with scents of rosed, violets and incense. The medium full-bodied red and blue fruit flavors were deep and penetraring, imbued with licorice, cocoa and volcanic minerals. The back picked up fruit liqueurs and toasted nuts, followed by a dry, yet supple, lingering finish. 19.5/20 points.

2012 Alvaro Palacios "Les Terraces" Priorat, Velles Vinyes ($39) - This 50/50 Carignan, Grenache combination showed a brilliant ruby-crimson color and perfumed aromas of wild fruits - cherry, blueberry, black currant - with scents of rose petals, sweet tobacco and violets. The flavors were supple and mouth caressing, with evident, but not too assertive minerality. The fruit liqueur imbued back showed fine fruit acids and tannins on the ingering finish. 19/20 points.

2012 Alvaro Palacios "Finca Dofi" Priorat ($64) This is a single vineyard Priorat, 96% Grenache and 4% Carignan. Alvaro Palacios studied enology at Bordeaux and worked at Ch. Petrus. This vintage showed a deep medium ruby color and seductive aromas of wild fruits, rose petals, anise, lavender, orange peel, sweet tobacco and spiced incense. The flavors mirrored the aromatics with richly textured fruits interwoven with licorice, cocoa and volcanic minerals. The back revealed gently pressed fruits, fruit liqueurs and recurring orange peel, followed by a lingering slightly nutted, balancwed fruit and acid finish. 19./20 points.